Exercising apparatus



Sept. 13, 1932' R. BLANK 1,877,218

EXERCISING APPkRATUS Filed Feb. ,21, 1927 INVENT OR myzwma Patented Sept. 13, 1932 UNITE nnnonrn BLANK, on EMERSON; NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR To ANNA MARIE LANK, NEE

' L'ECHMER, on EMERSON, NEW JERSEY r EXERCISING APPARATUS Application filed February 21, 1927. Serial, No. 169,995.

This invention relates generally to exercising apparatus and more particularly to apparatus of a new type for developingand f strengtheningithe' muscles of the chest, back,

5 filneck, shoulders, arms, and legs.

' In the types of apparatus now on the market, which use the principle of extending resilient parts, in order to develop the muscles of a. certain part of the body, for instance the chest or the biceps, it is usually necessary to hold them at a certain height and face a certain way, whereas in order to develop the muscles" of another part of the body, say the back, .or the complementary'muscle of the same set, say the triceps it is necessary to hold'the apparatus at a di'fl'erent position or turn around and face a difl'erent way. These types limit the development of strength essentially to those muscles which are used principally in pulling a resisting part of the apparatus, that is, they bring into play only into a compact structure for convenience in shipping and carrying.

A still further object is to provide an apparatus that is simple in construction, cheap to manufacture and durable and convenient in use and provided with interchangeable parts to lessen or increase the tension when desired. v 7

Other objects and advantages of my im proved apparatus will appear from the description to follow, taken in connection with the drawing forming a part thereof, in which. I I

Figure l is a plan view offthepreferred form of my improved apparatus, parts, being shown in section. V

Figure 2 ma sectional view o-f'lthe form shown in Figure 1 looking in the direction} indicatedby the arrows 2-2.

I Figure 3 is a detail view of one of thehan- I dles. V l

Figure is a detail'vi'ew showing the mounting of the spiral springs.

Referring to the drawing and Figure STATES EN once j particular, the improved apparatus comprises a pair of elongated members,suchas'thecomplementary frame membersIO and ll, of substantially equal length formed of metal.

preferably of stout wire or any other suitable 5 material. 1 Each of said frames is rectangular in shape is illustratedasheing of a uni-- tary structure, but it will be understood the framesmayrbe made sectional. It. will he noted that theframe 10 is somewhat wider-' than the frame 11, p'ermittingthe latter frame to slide inside of: the former, but it will be understood that instead of making one ofsaid frames adapted to slidewithinthe other, the two frames may belmade of the 'same width and side members of said frames slide upon or within one another. 7 frames IOa-nd 11 each coiisistspfa single piece of wire or other suitable material and which is circled at one end to form a loop or eye 12 at one side thereof and also circled at the opposite: side of the same end to form another lateral loop 13 instead of making these frames of a single piece of wire, thev' be made of more than one piece. .Mounted loosely on the end cross pieceof the frame mounted on the end cross pieceof the frame 11 is a wooden handle 15. It will be noted from F igure 2 that these handles have a flat surface and rounded edgesfor a purpose which will be explained hereinafter. ,5

Mounted loosely on the side members of the frame 10 is an intermediate wooden handle16 and mounted loosely on the side members of the; frame 11 is another such wooden handle 17, which handles 16 and 17 are shaped similarly to the handles 14 and 15, and by reason of the loose mounting thereof said handles 16 and 17 may slid-e along the frames 10 is a wooden handlefl l and similarlv dill) and 11, respectively. Each of said handles is provided with an opening 18 and each of said openings 18 is slightly greater in di ameter than the diameter of the metal forming the frames 10 and 11 in order to permit said handles16 and 17 to slide longitudinally of the frames. Formed. adjacent each end of said handles 16 and 17 is a grooved portionj19.

Detachably secured to each of' said frames 16 and 17 is a bail 20 formed of metal'or any other suitable material. Mounted on the outside ends of each of said bails 20 by welding or riveting or in any suitable manner is a spring clip 21. Said clips '21 are formed 'of metal which is adapted to flex and are about as wide as the grooved portion19 of the bandles 16 and 17 and when in operative position as illustrated in Figure 1 are adapted to fit snugly in said grooved portions. Instead of separate clips mounted onthe bails, the bails may be made of flexible metal and their ends formed with loops havin opened ends for engagement with the handles. Formed on the cross piece of each of said bails 20 is a plurality of eyelets 22, three of such eyelets being illustrated as formed integrally on each bail, but it will be understood that any desired number may be used andthat instead of forming said eyelets integrally with'the bail they may be separately mounted thereon. Mounted on said eyelets and passing between said bails 20 are a plurality of spiralsprings .23, three of such springs being shown in the drawing. It will of course be understood that a single spiral spring 23 or V c any desired number, depending upon the tension desired, may be used, the greater the number of said springs, thegreater the tension. It will also be understood that instead of spiral-springs, elastic bands or any elastic or resilient material may be used. As will be seen from Figure 1, the crosspiece of the bail 20 is sufiiciently removed from'the handles16 and 17 to permit the hand of the user to freely grasp said handles. As will be apparent from Figure 2, the frames 10 and 1 1, bails 20 and spiral springs 23 are all in the same plane thereby permitting said apparatus to rest flat on its support and making it convenient to pack and carry the same. In using the device shown in Figure 1, the operator grasps the handles 14 and 15 and pushes saidv handles towards each other, which push is resisted by the spiral springs 23. When the loops 12 and18 come into 7 contact with the handle 16 and 17, said handles are pushed outwardly along the frames until they come withinthe grasp of the'operator. The operator then grasps the handles 16and 17 and pulls outwardly, which outward pull is resisted by the same spiral springs 23. The shape of the handles readily permits the operator to hold both adjacent handles in one hand.

bails and passing therebetween. I I 2. An exercising apparatus COIIIPIlSlIlgfl,

In order to exercise the legs, stand the 1. An exercising apparatus comprising a air of frames positioned one within the other and slidable along each other, loops formed on the. inner ends of each ofsaid frames theloops of one frame adapted to encircle the other frame, a handle fixedly mounted on the outer end of each of said frames, a second handle slidably mounted; on each of said frames, a bail detachably' mounted oneac h of said slidable handles and spiral springs detachably mounted on said 7 pair of frames slidable along each other, each members, said outer grip 'members. being of said frames having outerand inner grip movable relative to each other and relative to the inner grip members of the respective opposite frames, said inner grip members-being movable relative to each other and relative opposite frames, resilient means attached to and passing between said frames.

3. An exercisingapparatus comprising a pair of frames arranged parallel to and slidable along each other, each of'said frames having both an outer grip member and a slidable inner grip member arranged thereon, all grip members being movable relative to each other, resilient'means attached to and passing between said frames. V

4. An exercising apparatus comprising a pair of elongated and substantially equally long members arrangedparallel to each other, each member being provided with laterally disposed eyes and holding the-other member jslidably arranged therein, a grip memberarranged at each of the outer ends of the two elongated members, an intermediate grip member slidably arranged on'each elongated member between its outer grip member and the eyes of the other elongated member, and

resilient means arranged between and freely iuspended from said intermediate grip memers.

5. An exercising apparatus comprising a pair of oppositely inversely arranged frames, each frame having substantially equally. long and parallel members connected by a cross member and provided at their terminals ..tiveto the outer grip members of the respec- I with laterally, disposed eyes, each eye hold-,

ing a member of the other frame slidablyarranged therein, a grip surrounding the crossmember of each frame, intermediate handles slidably arranged on the parallel members between the cross member of one and the eyes of the other frame, a bail movably arranged on each intermediate handle, and elastic 'means detachably held by and between said bails. V

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

RUDOLPH BLANK. 

